Morkel out to banish no-ball blues

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Nottingham - South Africa fast bowler Morne Morkel is disappointed but philosophical about holding the unwanted record for most Test wickets overturned by no-balls.

Morkel took his tally to 13 in the act of over-stepping when he bowled Ben Stokes in South Africa's 211-run first Test defeat by England at Lord's last week.

With the Proteas looking to level the four-match series at 1-1 in the second Test at Nottingham's Trent Bridge, Morkel said of the Stokes 'wicket': "It's not the first no-ball I've bowled in my life.

"It's not going to end my career," the 32-year-old also told reporters at Trent Bridge on Wednesday.

"It's 13, yes -- world record.

"Somebody needs to hold it. It's 13 wickets I'd like to have in the bank, but it wasn't meant to be."

Morkel, a veteran of 75 Tests, added: "It's part of the game. (England) also bowled a couple of no-balls that could have easily taken a wicket."

But Dean Elgar, who skippered the Proteas at Lord's but will hand over to returning captain Faf du Plessis in Nottingham, described some of South Africa's mistakes, including dropped catches and no-balls, in the first Test as "non-negotiables".

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